Cooking For One: Lazy Afternoon Salads

During my childhood, I’d always make sure to take a few weeks away from the summer’s main event—camp, community service adventures and, eventually, the all-important internship—to spend a few lazy weeks on Martha’s Vineyard with my parents and extended family. When the sun was shining, there were plenty of active ways to spend my time. But when the weather decided to offer up no means of outdoor distraction, it was fairly easy, and not without pleasure, to simply hunker down with a book in front of the sprawling gray ocean, zone-out, and eat.

Now, I’ve been lucky enough to salvage 10 days of relaxation away from what has been, over the course of the last few weeks, a very rainy city life. Unfortunately, it seems that the whole Northeast has fallen prey to post-April depression, and decided to plague us all by making weather.com’s favorite prediction—scattered thunder showers—a reality. This year, I take the downtime gladly, and with it, one of my favorite lazy summertime meals.

When the daily cardio will warrant it, my lunches on the vineyard will consist of the many indulgences I attempt to fit into my one week of meals, namely: fudge, ice cream, fried clam rolls, and the ever tempting fried green tomato BLT, which I force myself to bike 7 miles in order to eat. These activities and eats are usually shared with my dad, whose sweet tooth and love for lobster rolls usually direct him town-bound (with me as company) for every meal. But when it’s gray and gloomy, I am more than happy to join my mother in front of the TV to watch tennis and eat whatever she’s decided to whip up.

Given her affinity towards mayonnaise, it’s no surprise that my mother’s cooking-for-one go-to involves a creamy, mustard base and whatever fresh herbs Morning Glory Farms has been able to salvage from the persistent rainfall. Since she was cooking for two this time, I requested one of my childhood favorites: shrimp salad with a combination of fresh basil and chives. Aside from the bike ride to Edgartown Seafood to pick up shrimp, this salad is an easy way to get your slow-moving bones back in the kitchen, mix up some condiments in large, lazy spoonfuls, and in less than a few minutes, return to the couch where, without an inkling of guilt, you are happy to temporarily belong.

From my kitchen, always open for a lazy day of vacation, to yours,

Phoebe, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

my mother, who may never make me another salad again after this photo,
beside her friends, Mayonnaise and Turkey (for dipping).

These two salads share the same composition with slight modifications to suit the protein at hand. For the shrimp, my mother used fresh, bright basil and just a hint of dried mustard to give it a bit of heat. For the chicken salad, she used Dijon mustard to give a more full bodied mustard flavor to the sauce, and tarragon as the main herb since the stronger anise flavor holds up better against a less delicate meat.

Mix in the fresh herbs, snip chives directly into the bowl, and toss together with the shrimp or chicken.Serve piled on top of a simply dressed salad (mixed greens, olive oil, and white vinegar) or sandwiched between two crusty pieces of wheat bread.